STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- John Catsimatidis continued to slam GOP rival Joe Lhota over 9/11 radio problems as the two candidates pressed the flesh on Staten Island ahead of Tuesday's mayoral primary.

Speaking at the Arrochar Friendship Club, Catsimatidis lit into Lhota for problems with police and fire radios during the World Trade Center attacks.

Lhota was deputy mayor under Rudolph Giuliani at the time.

"Don't forget, an extra 100 firemen died because they didn't get those things working right," Catsimatidis said. "And they were working on it since 1993."

Catsimatidis had criticized Lhota on the same grounds during a debate on Sunday.

"It's just sad that it takes seven years to fix a problem like that and he tells us what an expert he is," Catsimatidis said. "Give me a break."

Catsimatidis said the problems should have been fixed after the 1993 terrorist bombing of the World Trade Center.

Lhota spokeswoman Jessica Proud said it was "disgusting" for Catsimatidis to inject 9/11 into the campaign.

"It's extremely disheartening and disappointing that John has launched these ridiculous attacks," she said. "He has failed to offer a cohesive vision of what he wants to do as mayor."

Catsimatidis also defended television ads that took Lhota to task for being the head of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority when the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge toll went up, and for Lhota's calling Port Authority police officers "mall cops."

"The first commercial said he raised the tolls. True? True," said Catsimatidis. "He called the people mall cops. True? True."

At the Mount Loretto Friendship Club, Lhota said that his remark about P.A. cops was "very unfortunate."

"I understand how insensitive it was and I apologized for it," he said.

Lhota added, "If he wants to spend his money attacking me, he has every right to do that. And the results are I'm winning in the polls and I'm going to win tomorrow night because nobody knows what he stands for."

Catsimatidis, who also went to the Mount Loretto club, was joined by former GOP Rep. Vito Fossella and Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis (R-East Shore/Brooklyn).